For… Read Full Bio ↴Night Moves is an American band from Minneapolis, United States.
For such a patently American locale, the Twin Cities have lacked a remarkable group that evokes the American rock canon in a classic manner for a long time. Enter Night Moves. Formed in 2009 by guitarist and vocalist John Pelant, bassist Micky Alfano and multi-instrumentalist Mark Ritsema, Night Moves is a distinctly original concoction. Their honey-dipped sound seethes with a kind of down-home tenderness -- and like the best glittering music -- the arrangements are colossal in shape. Night Moves’ powerful debut Colored Emotions is this Minneapolis group’s first album.
The three core members of Night Moves first met at Southwest High School in Minneapolis. Following the tangential fits and starts typical of early music projects (including a detour to college and back), the ensemble took definite shape as Night Moves and is the crowning achievement to the long-standing collaboration between John Pelant and Mark Ritsema, who first met as freshman.
Pelant’s taste for Dylan, Blind Lemon Jefferson, et. al, would prove most propitious for their future work together in Night Moves. Ritsema describes himself as being into electronic music at the time - a Daft Punk fan - when he met budding folknik Pelant. Pelant throughout high school would write some solo material but hadn’t been keen on sharing. Whatever musical differences there were between them faded as the motivation to play music together persisted over the next years.
In 2009, with the group at last solidified with the addition of bassist Micky Alfano, Night Moves began the long, astounding odyssey that was recording their meticulous debut album Colored Emotions. Nearly two years in the making, the debut exudes the craft and professionalism of a seasoned band. It was these painstakingly self-recorded tracks Night Moves prepared themselves that attracted interest from Domino, further developed with the appointment of studio guru Thom Monahan to take the album and set it free, so to speak.
Monahan's easy-going nature was a relief for this perfectionist ensemble, who had already made something wholly precious in private. According to Pelant, Monahan’s mountainous pedigree of producing terrific psychedelic pop and freak-folk outfits immediately eased their mind: Vetiver, Devendra Banhart, Beachwood Sparks... Night Moves were indeed in good company, and so they hauled down to Los Angeles to put the final touches on Colored Emotions.
Pelant's tone-perfect vocals on Colored Emotions serves Night Moves not just as its lyrical core but also its glittering adornment. With an extensive vocal range, his voice ventures where lone guitar solos cannot. Hence, there’s no cornball guitar hero antics in Night Moves. Instead, they carefully built their songs around strong acoustic and rhythmic grounds, the clarity of crystal-clear production, and Pelant’s deft howl. The reverb of hollow-body guitars, the bright wash of crash cymbals, the haze of harmonica and organ tremolo – this is the album’s bedrock and it shines like gold.
And just as The Zombies’ classic Odyssey and Oracle has surprising melodic twists and shape-shifting choruses but never beats you over the head with them, the epic arrangements throughout Colored Emotions are sophisticated but not overbearing. Standouts “Headlights” and “Country Queen” are both perfect examples: seamless segues and hook-laden bridges defy conventional song structures, yet remain altogether memorable.
The songs of Night Moves conjure a spiritual energy only twenty-somethings dislodged by adversity and isolation could produce. An album like Colored Emotions seems intent to turn inward to create a joyous universe within its own boundaries. Certainly, the group's musical abilities are innate without ever being too self-conscious about it. It’s as if Colored Emotions came second nature to them and the arrival of the rest of us took them by surprise.
-- by Anthony Atlas
Alabama
Night Moves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waiting for my handler to release me just for one day
Calmly I've been patient, for I know it's just their game
But lately I'm just an animal
Waiting for the lights to fade
And now tonight you're mine
And now tonight you're mine
I feel it all inside, but oh it's just not right
To wait another
To wait another day
Baby I'm just an animal
Some freak in a cage
And lately your something beautiful
Something thats yet to be tamed
Well I feel it's been gone so long
Don't seem to attain
(With a touch of lust and a touch of tear)
Wanderinging well ensued
As the moments they're through
I withdrew
Undress, undress you're lines
We don't get along, get along in time
Lately, I'm just an animal trapped out in you're cage
And baby you're something beautiful
You're something thats yet to be tamed
Get along
Get along in time
You just cast my dues
Tangle me in clues
I want to love you in mind
The first stanza of "Alabama" by Night Moves metaphorically illustrates the feeling of being trapped and wanting to break free. The singer considers himself an animal trapped in a cage, waiting for someone to release him even for a day. He has been patient, knowing that he is just a pawn in their game, but recently, he has been waiting for the lights to fade, marking his opportunity to escape. The phrase "waiting for the lights to fade" implies that he is waiting for the right moment or opportunity to escape, just like an animal that waits until the sunset to break free from its habitat.
In the second part of the song, the singer expresses feelings of love and longing for the person he is addressing. However, he believes that he is not deserving of their love, calling himself "some freak in a cage." Nevertheless, he recognizes their beauty and acknowledges that they are someone who is yet to be tamed. The line "I feel it all inside, but oh, it's just not right to wait another day" implies that although he feels a strong connection with this person, he knows that it is not the right time for them to be together yet.
The bridge of the song suggests that the singer and the person he is addressing have an uneasy relationship. He wants to undress the person's lines, which could stand for their facade, to reveal their true self. However, they do not get along, and he acknowledges that they have to learn to get along as time passes.
Overall, the song appears to be a mix of frustration of being trapped and not being able to be with someone you love. It explores themes of longing and desire, showing how the singer yearns to be free and in love but recognizes that it is not their time yet.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately I'm just an animal trapped out in my cage
I feel trapped and restless, like an animal stuck in a cage.
Waiting for my handler to release me just for one day
I'm waiting for someone to let me be free, even if it's just for a short time.
Calmly I've been patient, for I know it's just their game
I've tried to be patient, because I know it's all part of some bigger plan.
But lately I'm just an animal waiting for the lights to fade
I'm feeling more and more restless, waiting for something to change.
And now tonight you're mine
Tonight, I finally have you all to myself.
And now tonight you're mine
I'm repeating this line to emphasize how important it is to me.
And now tonight, you're mine that you know
I want to make sure you know how much I care about you tonight.
I feel it all inside, but oh it's just not right
I know that what I feel is real, but it doesn't feel right because of my situation.
To wait another, to wait another day
I can't keep waiting forever, I need to act now.
Baby I'm just an animal, some freak in a cage
I'm emphasizing how trapped and restless I feel.
And lately you're something beautiful, something that's yet to be tamed
You're something that's so captivating, but you're still mysterious and unexplored to me.
Well I feel it's been gone so long, don't seem to attain
I feel like I've been waiting forever, but I can't seem to achieve what I want.
(With a touch of lust and a touch of tear) Wanderinging well ensued, as the moments they're through, I withdrew
I'm feeling a mix of desire and sadness, as I realize that our time together is coming to an end and I have to leave.
Undress, undress you're lines
I want to reveal the true you, beyond the facades you put up.
We don't get along, get along in time
We're not meant to be together, at least not right now.
Lately, I'm just an animal trapped out in you're cage
Now it feels like I'm trapped in you, like I'm under your control.
And baby you're something beautiful, you're something that's yet to be tamed
I'm still drawn to you, even though I know you're still a mystery to me.
Get along, get along in time
We need to accept that we're not meant to be together right now.
You just cast my dues, tangle me in clues
You're making me pay for something, and it's confusing and frustrating to me.
I want to love you in mind
I want to connect with you on a deeper level, beyond just physical attraction.
Contributed by Andrew S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@storm33223
LYRICS:
Lately I'm just an animal trapped out in my cage
Waiting for my handler to release me just for one day
Calmly I've been patient, for I know it's just their game
But lately I'm just an animal
Waiting for the lights to fade
And now tonight you're mine
And now tonight you're mine
And now tonight, you're mine that you know
I feel it all inside, but oh it's just not right
To wait another
To wait another day
Baby I'm just an animal
Some freak in a cage
And lately your something beautiful
Something thats yet to be tamed
Well I feel it's been gone so long
Don't seem to attain
(With a touch of lust and a touch of tear)
Wanderinging well ensued
As the moments they're through
I withdrew
Undress, undress you're lines
We don't get along, get along in time
Lately, I'm just an animal trapped out in you're cage
And baby you're something beautiful
You're something thats yet to be tamed
Get along
Get along in time
You just cast my dues
Tangle me in clues
I want to love you in mind
@Anonymouscommentor99
Such a great song.
Absolutely beautiful.
Heard it on the Bill Burr podcast, bought it right after hearing it.
Thank you Andrew
@trankun
I work at Starbucks and our radio plays this once a day lol.
@93joselx
You're so lucky! What state is your Starbucks?
@trankun
Jose Lopez Kansas!
@drunkented_
I'm working at Starbucks too.
So I try to download this song from the my ppv site, but I can't find it..
@alisonrapaccioli325
thats where i got this song from lmfaoooo
@jgbpkoolguys
where in kansas, wichita?
@jmt6104
1:17 lower voice is amazing
@gordjohnston6245
Love this tune.... Reminds me of the 80's duets.. Maybe we are all just animals.. :)
@idcaf
thanks Andrew&bill. I needed this song in my life! <3